Process of casting car-wheels



(No Model.)

W. WILMINGTON.

PROCESS OF CASTING GAR WHEELS No. 344,300. Patented June 22, 1886.

WITNESSES 2 INVENTOR i ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS, Pmwumn n m, wmm mn. u. c.

UNITE STATES ATENT Fries.

\VILLIAM \VILMINGTON, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

PROCESS OF CASTING CAR-WHEELS.

SPEGIEJL'CATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 344,300, dated June22, 1886.

Serial No. 200,385.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LWILLIAM WILMINGTON, of Toledo, in the county of Lucasand State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Im provementin Methodsof Casting Car-\Vheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improvement upon a method of casting car-wheelsupon which Letters Patent of the United States No. 309,120 were grantedme December 9, 1884:. That method consists in placing gradually richferro-manganese in the current of molten iron from the pouring-ladle orinto the basin of the mold during the casting of the wheel. This methodof modifying the chill-hardening properties of the iron composing thedifferent parts of the wheel in varying degrees secures a strong anddurable car-wheel; but at times difficulties arise from the carelessnessof operatives,who sometimes allow the molten iron in the basin to rundown low at the latter stage of filling the mold, at which times smallportions of the ferro-manganese in an unsettled condition are carriedinto the mold by the rapid inflow of molten iron,which is objectionable.

The objeet of my improvement is to secure with certainty the melting offerromanganese or spiegeleisen before the same has entered the mold of acar-wheel, thereby securing with greater certainty the gradualmodification of the chill-hardening properties of the molten cast-ironin varying degrees in the different parts of the wheel.

In the method of incorporating ferro-mangancse or its equivalent invarying quantities with the molten iron composing the wheel during thecasting ofthe same by incorporating less of the ferro-manganese in theiron forming the tread than in the iron forming the hub and inner plateparts of the wheel, and the use of old or condemned car-wheels, I amenabled to produce a cheap, strong and durable wheel by restoring to themolten product derived from the old car-wheels certain elements, moreparticularly carbon and manganese, which by repeated meltings of the oldear-wheel have been more or less decarburized.

Before further describing my improvement,

I will state some facts in relation to cast-irons used for castingear-wheels. While a proper proportion of manganese imparts strength tothese irons, it will also, when in excess in the iron forming the treadof a car-wheel, affect injuriously the same. Therefore I limit thequantity of the ferro-manganese admitted to the molten iron entering themold of the carwheel in the early stages of casting the wheel, andduring the latter periods of casting the wheel I incorporate a greaterquantity of manganese with the molten iron entering the mold.

In practicing my improvement I melt in a oupola in the ordinary mannerthe desired quantities of old or condemned car-wheels, with or withoutthe addition of suitable hard castiron, and I may add to these metals tobe melted with the same steel in such quantities as may be desirable.The molten product derived from these metals,being deprived of itscarbon and manganese to a great exteut,is extremely high inchill-hardening properties, which quality is necessary to obtain thebest results by my method. The combination of metals after melting isdrawn into a reservoirladle, and from the same trial-pieces are cast.

From these is determined the quantity of ferro manganese to produce thedesired effects upon the iron forming the wheel to be cast. I thenproceed to cast a car-wheel by the following method: Itake intoaladleabout five hundred pounds of suitable molten chillha-rdening cast-ironin its normal state. In another ladle Itake about one hundred pounds(more or less) of the same quality of molten iron or other suitablecastirons. I place with the molten iron in this ladle the determinedquantity of form-manganese, the same being powdered or reduced to thatdegree of fineness thatthe same will quickly melt by the inherent heatin the molten metal in the ladle, waiting a few seconds until theferro-manganese has become homogeneous with the molten iron in theladle. by filling the basin of the mold preferably with the molten ironin its normal state, the same being poured continuously until the moldis filled. After the basin is properly filled I commence also to pourthe molten metals from I then commence to cast the wheel 5 the ladleholding the ferro-manganese, and the metals then run from both ladlessimultaneously, the alloyed molten iron being poured gradually into theflowing stream of molten iron in its normal state from the other ladle,or directly into the basin of the mold. I gradually increase the flow ofthe alloyed molten iron until the mold of the car-wheel is filled by themolten metals from both ladles. The effect of incorporating small andincreasing quantities of ferro-manganese, the same diffusing wit-h themolteniron already in the mold of the car-wheel, lessens the intensityor affinity for combination by diffusion which exists between thequality of the iron already in the mold and the quality of the incomingiron during the latter stages of filling the mold. Consequently the ironat and near the surface of the tread of the wheel, having less manganesein its composition, will not be injubut I do not confine myself to anyparticular quality or quantity of ferro-manganese or its equivalent,(spiegeleisen,) but I use such qualities and quantities of each as thedifferent characters of car-wheels to be cast require and as practiceshows to produce the best results by my method.

For the benefit of others, I will state that by the use of one andone-half pound of eighty per cent. ferro-manganese a five-hundredand- 4ofifty-pound car-wheel can be produced by my method having the desirablequalities of cheapness, strength, and durability.

Letters Patent of the United States have been granted me at differenttimes upon dif- 5 ferent methods of casting car-wheels from twoqualities of molten iron poured separately into the mold of a wheel fromdifferent ladles. The general practice of these methods was to fill themold of a car-wheel about half full of molten chillhardening cast-iron,then by a second pouring of a softer iron from another ladle to fill themold. These different methods of casting car-wheels have all beenabandoned from various causes.

My improvement in the art of casting chilltread cast-iron car-wheels isdistinct from all other methods of casting car-wheels from two qualitiesof molten cast-iron poured separately into a mold of a car wheel fromdifferent ladles, in that the practice in these methods is to largelyfill the mold with molten chill-hard ening cast-iron having the properquantities of carbon and manganese in natural combination. My method isdifferent from all others from the fact that the molten metal necessaryto produce the best results, if poured separately into the mold of a car-wheel to form the tread of the wheel, would be worthless, because thetread-flange and brackets of the wheel would be nearly white, having butlittle strength, while the tread of a car-wheel composed of the alloyedmolten iron would have but little durability; but when thevdifferentqualities of molten iron in the difi'erent ladles have becomehomogeneous in the basin of the mold before entering the mold of thewheel the mass becomes a single and variable quality of molten iron. Itis this gradual change in the qualities of the molten iron during thecasting of the wheel that lessens the tendency of diffusion, whichenables me to secure with greater certainty the modification of thechill-hardening properties of the molten iron forming different parts ofthe car-wheel in varying degrees.

The accompanying drawing represents a central cross-section of a moldfor a car-wheel, in which A is the basin, and B openings leading intothe mold.

I broadly disclaim as my invention all methods, processes, or means ofmodifying or alloying the properties of cast or wrought irons and steelby an admixture of ferro-manganese or spiegeleisen in a solid conditionor in a molten state, for the use of these metalloids has been longknown and practiced in the manufacture of cast and wrought irons andsteel.

WhatI claim as my invention is- The method herein described of castingchilled-tread cast-iron car-wheels, which consists in pouring moltencastiron from two ladles, one containing suitable molten chillhardeningcast-iron in its normal state, the other containing suitable moltencast-iron hav- ICO ing mixed in a molten homogeneous state aquantity offerro-rnanganese, or its described equivalent, the same being powderedor reduced to a degree of fineness that permits it to be melted by theinherent hcatin the molten iron in the ladle, and to become homogeneouswith the molten iron in the ladle, the pouring being conducted in thefollowing manner, to wit: filling the basin of the mold with the molteniron in its normal state, the same being poured continuously until themold is filled, and, after the basin is properly filled and while thefirst-named metal is running, pouring the metal from the ladle holdingthe alloyed molten iron gradually into the flowing stream of iron in itsnormal state, or into the basin of the mold, and gradually increasingthe flow of the alloyed iron until the car-wheel is cast, substantiallyas described, and for the purpose set forth.

WILLIAM WILMINGTON.

Witnesses:

LINooLN HAYS, ALEXANDER WEBER.

IIO

